Typhoon Bebinca latest: Shanghai cancels hundreds of flights as strongest storm in 75 years makes landfall

Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai since 1949, made landfall early today, prompting evacuations and cancellations of flights.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled at the Shanghai airport starting from Sunday. In Hangzhou, about 170km (106miles) southwest of Shanghai, authorities were planning to cancel more than 180 flights.

Over 40,000 people were evacuated and trains and ferries were suspended as residents were asked to stay at home amid disruptions.

Bebinca made landfall around 7.30am local time this morning (11.30pm GMT Sunday) in the sprawling Pudong business district with maximum winds of 151kmph (94mph) near its centre.

The city, home to 25 million people, rarely faces such intense typhoons. This is the strongest storm to make landfall in the city since 1949.

Authorities expected the typhoon would also affect the nearby provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui.

Bebinca comes just a few days after Typhoon Yagi recently hit Southeast Asia and China, causing devastation.

Vietnam is still reeling from the impact of the storm with over 230 deaths, while Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines have also seen dozens of casualties.

Key Points

• Typhoon Bebinca, strongest storm to hit Shanghai since 1949, makes landfall

• Typhoon Babinca tracker: Map shows path of storm as it barrels through Shanghai

• Red alert in place in Shanghai as tens of thousands evacuated

• Hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Bebinca hits Shanghai

Shanghai's Disney attractions shut amid Typhoon Bebinca

10:15 , Stuti Mishra

Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park remain closed today amid Typhoon Bebinca, with the two resort hotels providing services to in-house guests, the Shanghai Disney Resort said in a statement, adding that normal operations are expected to resume tomorrow.

Earlier, hundreds of flights, trains and passenger ferry operations were halted as the storm brought heavy rains and wind gusts prompting emergency warnings.

Typhoon Bebinca passes through Shanghai but worst is yet to come, officials say

09:45 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Bebinca has already caused widespread damage as it passed through Shanghai, uprooting over 10,000 trees, cutting power to at least 380 households, and flooding 53 hectares (132 acres) of farmland. Despite this, officials warn that the most severe impacts are still ahead.

"The greater impact of the typhoon might come after it landed," Tang Jie, vice head of the Shanghai Typhoon Institute, said, according to Xinhua news agency, adding that wind and rain will intensify Monday night.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised the emergency response to Level III in Shanghai and Zhejiang, while activating Level IV in Anhui Province.

Shanghai to be lashed by up to 12 inches of rain

09:15 , Stuti Mishra

Shanghai is expected to receive up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain between Monday and Wednesday, according to weather authorities.

Typhoon Bebinca, which struck the city with winds of 151 km/h (94 mph), has already uprooted or damaged over 10,000 trees, knocked out power to at least 380 households, and injured one person.

The storm also flooded 53 hectares (132 acres) of farmland and damaged four houses, state media reported.

Shanghai, a city of 25 million people, rarely faces such powerful typhoons, which typically hit further south in China.

Typhoon Bebinca injures one, knocks out power in Shanghai

08:45 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest storm to hit Shanghai since 1949, knocked out power to at least 380 households and injured one person as it tore through the city on Monday, according to Chinese media.

With wind speeds reaching 151 kmph (94 mph), the typhoon toppled trees and prompted the evacuation of over 414,000 residents. Schools were closed, and travel was brought to a halt, with over 1,400 flights cancelled.

More than 60,000 emergency responders were on standby. As the storm moved inland, it weakened, but still caused widespread flooding and uprooted over 10,000 trees across nearby provinces.

Babinca is second major typhoon to hit China this month

08:15 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Babinca, which made a rare landfall in Shanghai this morning, is the second major typhoon to hit China this September after Typhoon Yagi made another rare landfall.

Babinca's landfall is rare because Shanghai is generally not in the direct path of strong typhoons, which typically make landfall further south in China.

Earlier, Yagi, which was the second biggest tropical storm this year, intensified to Category 5 strength before it reached Hainan, becoming a rare super typhoon to make landfall with such strength in the island province.

The impact of the typhoon in the southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, has been severe with hundreds dead in landslides and rain related incidents.

Tropical storms have been rapidly intensifying in recent years because of increased ocean temperatures which fuel them. Research shows that as climate crisis intensifies, storms will become more destructive and frequent.

Typhoon Babinca tracker: Map shows path of storm as it barrels through Shanghai

07:46 , Stuti Mishra

Video: Heavy gusts and rain as Typhoon Bebinca passes over a house

07:20 , Stuti Mishra

Shanghai residents asked to stay home amid festivities

07:00 , Stuti Mishra

Shanghai's 25 million residents have been advised to stay in their homes as Typhoon Bebinca brought heavy winds and rainfall to the city.

The typhoon has also caused train and flight cancellations.

The disruptions come amid the three-day autumn holiday in China.

Photos: Heavy rains and fallen trees after Typhoon Bebinca

06:40 , Stuti Mishra

Red alert in place in Shanghai as tens of thousands evacuated

06:20 , Stuti Mishra

A red alert is in place in Shanghai and over 40,000 people were evacuated from coastal areas, city authorities said.

The typhoon landed early this morning in the coastal area of Lingang New City, in Pudong to the city's east, the China Meteorological Administration said.

It was the strongest storm to hit Shanghai since Typhoon Gloria in 1949, state broadcaster CCTV said shortly after Bebinca made landfall.

Hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Bebinca hits Shanghai

05:59 , Stuti Mishra

Hundreds of flights were cancelled at the Shanghai airport starting Sunday as Typhoon Bebinca brought heavy winds and rainfall to Shanghai.

In Hangzhou, about 170km southwest of Shanghai, authorities were planning to cancel more than 180 flights.

Trains and ferries were suspended as residents were asked to stay at home amid disruptions.

Typhoon Bebinca, strongest storm to hit Shanghai since 1949, makes landfall

05:30 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai this morning as a Category 1 storm, the most powerful tropical cyclone to directly hit the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades.

Packing top wind speeds of 151kmph (94 mph) near its eye, Bebinca landed in the city of nearly 25 million around 7.30am (11.30pm GMT on Sunday), state media reported.

Bebinca is the strongest storm to strike Shanghai since Typhoon Gloria in 1949.

05:16 , Stuti Mishra

Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog with latest updates from Shanghai where Typhoon Bebinca has made landfall. Stay tuned!